THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL YOUTH FORUM ON PUBLIC DIPLOMACY "INTERYES! 3.0" TOOK PLACE IN ULYANOVSK

The online forum opened on April 11 with an expert session, the main topic of which was "Public Diplomacy: Actors and Activities".

The forum was organized by the Russia-BRICS Project Office for International Youth Cooperation together with the Creative Industries Foundation of the Ulyanovsk region with the support of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs "Rosmolodezh".

A landmark event that brought together more than 150 participants from 29 countries, such as Argentina, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, Finland, India, South Africa, Mongolia, Chad, Nepal, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Mali, Kenya, Morocco, Iraq, Slovakia, Nigeria, Cyprus, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan, Haiti and Russia has become an important step in strengthening international relations in the face of severe sanctions and the global crisis.

The forum delegates were welcomed by the Governor of the Ulyanovsk region Alexey Russkikh.

"Today, the initiative, active, aimed at a positive dialogue young people have gathered here. It is you, dear friends, the younger generation of different countries and continents, who in the future will have to talk to each other, interact and cooperate for the sake of global prosperity and well-being. Relations between Russia and the countries represented at the forum are strong and have deep historical roots. Our countries continue to inspire others to build bridges of friendship and cooperation. I wish you to delve even deeper into the concept and tools of public diplomacy within the framework of this forum in order to strengthen trust and expand humanitarian cooperation," the Head of the region said.

The expert session was attended by the Third Secretary of the Department of Foreign Policy Planning of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Artem Derevtsov, Head of the International Activities Department of the Youth Projects and Programs Department of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Valeria Chernogorodova, Deputy Director of the Institute of Law and National Security of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) Valery Smirnov, Founder of BRICS+ Analytics, Member of the Russian Council for International Affairs Yaroslav Lissovolik, Head of the International Department of the National Youth Council of Russia Valeria Torotenkova, Chairperson of the Centre for Russian and Central Asian Studies of School of International Studies of Jawaharlal Nehru University Archana Upadhyay, Assistant Researcher of the Institute of Russian, European and Central Asian Studies of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Liu Chang and an Argentine analyst, MGIMO intern researcher, Adviser to the MERCOSUR Parliament Juan Martin Gonzalez Cabanas.

"In the conditions of global instability, the BRICS union has become one of the pillars of the international world order, the guardian of "genuine multilateralism." The principles on which BRICS stands are equality of sovereign states, mutual respect and consideration of each other's interests. The association has ambitious goals, the achievement of which largely depends on humanitarian ties. I am sure that this forum will be another step towards further strengthening contacts between our peoples. Public diplomacy is becoming an integral part of various areas of cooperation between the five countries. It is difficult to overestimate its contribution to building up our economic, tourist, cultural and interpersonal ties. I am confident that the efforts of the organizers will contribute to strengthening the ever-growing BRICS strategic partnership and involving an increasing number of representatives of civil society, including young people," said Artem Derevtsov.

In addition to the expert session, during which the forum participants were immersed into the conceptual field, and also had the opportunity to discuss topical issues of international youth cooperation in the space of the BRICS countries and the world, an equally important event of the first day was the case session. Its speakers were Han Yueying, Program Officer of the International Department of All-China Youth Federation, Raymond Matlala, Founder and Executive Chairman of SABYA, Natalia Burlinova, Russian International Affairs Council expert and President of PICREADI, and other experts who told the audience the most vivid and successful cases on public diplomacy implemented in different countries.

The day ended with the networking of participants and self-presentation of non-profit organizations of the BRICS+ countries.

According to Diana Kovela, Deputy Director of the Creative Industries Foundation of the Ulyanovsk Region, who acted as one of the moderators of the forum, the focus of the second day will be shifted on a practical track, where challenges and actions of young people will be discussed, as well as resources of grant-giving organizations that can help in the implementation of projects will be presented.

The result of the forum, which will last until April 12, will be the formation of a bank of ideas capable of solving many global challenges identified during the discussions that will take place within the framework of the forum. In the future, these ideas will become the basis of projects that representatives of the BRICS+ countries will be able to implement on their territory.

The expert session "Resources for youth projects" opened the official program of the second day of the International Youth Forum on Public Diplomacy “InterYES! 3.0”.

The expert block was attended by the Chairman of the One Globe Forum, the National Secretary of the Indian National Congress Dalbir Singh, the Head of the International Activities Department of the Youth Projects and Programs Department of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Valeria Chernogorodova, Deputy Head of the Russian Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) Dmitry Polikanov, a Lead Specialist of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund Sergey Orlov, and General Director of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives Roman Karmanov.

In their speeches, the experts stressed that grant support for projects aimed at public diplomacy is not decreasing, and also reminded the audience that, while implementing their ideas and doing everyday work, it is important to periodically return to the basic problem for which their project was created.

"Today you are discussing important topics, including those that directly relate to international cooperation in the field of culture, art and creative industries – issues of preserving the all-Russian cultural identity, strengthening spiritual and moral values, and promoting Russian culture. These are extremely important tasks today, and you may be the one who is dealing with them. I appeal to the representatives of Russia - participants of the forum: I urge each of you to think about whether you have an unrealized idea of holding any bright cultural international event? And if you do, make it into an application and submit it to the competition of the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives. I urge the forum participants from other countries not to miss the opportunity to show themselves and declare themselves in major competitions and festivals held in Russia," Roman Karmanov said.

An important event of the Forum was the foresight session "Public Diplomacy: ideas for development", during which the participants managed not only to share their idea with an international trainer on intercultural communication and non-formal education Lyubov Savelyeva, but also to get feedback that should help the authors bring their projects to the ideal and implement them in the future based on their grant applications. The final day of the event was also marked by a facilitation session on the topic "Public diplomacy issues".

Diana Kovela and Akil Mohammad, Deputy Directors of the Russia–BRICS Youth Project Office, who have been moderators of the forum for the second year in a row, did not forget to congratulate the audience on Cosmonautics Day, once again making sure that the name of Yuri Gagarin is known and respected all over the world.